CX Memorial Park (you aint going hard enough unless you feel like DYING)

What are these things I thought this was a MTB race.

DYING,, now did anyone see where my legs went ..........................

Poor ForbEE he looks tired.

Houston Grand Criterium

I managed to win the first Prime on the 3rd lap.
Then I wrapped it up by placing second overall.

That first Prime was the hardest part of the race. I swore she said Oakley glasses Oh well. I sprinted from the first corner(way to early). I looked down 900+ watts, I knew this would not last. I settled into 450 watts, I kept looking back, The first 5 seconds they didn't respond I had a 30 yard gap. I looked back again the pack was coming.
I pedaled harder, 500 watts again, then 2 broke away and they were going to catch me if I didn't speed up. I thought all or nothing who cares I've already sacrificed myself for this might as well win the prime. My ass was off the seat, and my mind was wondering wheres that dam line at. These two pics kind of tell the last part of the story.
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152524870-L-LB


The finish was kind of un eventful
I started on the right, and accelerated from there, from about 10th and managed to move up to 2nd.
These pictures where of the last few seconds of the race.
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152531862-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152532230-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152522774-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152532550-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152532769-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152532966-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152533143-L-LB
http://cyclepics.smugmug.com/gallery/2843592#152533305-L-LB

Luck of good positioning was in my favor.

I raced the double lake on Sunday finished mid pack, partly because I was in wedding the night before, and was up dancing all night with my beautiful wife. I took a good crash, but not as bad as some others in front of me. The track was very nice with only one major mud spot.

I realized after the race that I had forgotten to eat, I was wondering why that GU had such an awesome effect on my 4th lap, I was in a hurry to get to the race and had an egg and a couple bites of oat meal early that morning but forgot to eat and it was 4 hours inbetween the race start and another 2 and a half to finish man was I hungry...

It was a really fun race even though the course was very boring. It was like long distant running just you and the trail, and trying to beat a time.

That reminds me http://www.costarica2.com/albums/alyssa-matthew/ these are from our wedding, 11 more days and it will be a year. Gotta find something paper to give her for the one year.

A guy at work sent this out, in relation to Fridays tragedy.

John Donne said it best, four hundred years ago:

"No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; every man is apeece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if Clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for who the bell tolls; It tolls for thee."

THE WARDA
It was a beautiful race day.
Got a bad start.
I think I was 5th from last at the first turn.
Then suffered the bottle neck effect when we entered the single track.
I made about 3 passes on the first jeep road then 2 more after the barn.
Went around the pond and filed in behind Team Ortho as we entered the single track.
There where about four of us making are way through the woods. The two in front of me were doing there best to drop me, and it eventually worked, (I caught them on the last lap and put a minute on them) so now just me and another guy where trucking along. We came out of the woods and those guys were gone. kept my head down and headed up the jeep road to the next pond. I bombed down Gas Pass then made my way up the The Pass and descended down Mule Trace. First lap was over and 3 more to go but I was feeling fresh and every lap I went a little faster. Then put it down for the 4th lap past 5 more guys and got
16th
Matthew Morgan
Team Tilson Homes
2:03:01
I should have gone a little faster in the beginning and stayed at least in the top ten group.

I gained about 5 positions on the last lap. I never have been good a reserves I save up to much.

Overall I'm happy how it went, and have learned a few more lessens that will hopefully put me in the top ten soon.

Warda Map

The Paper Clip / Part of The Neighborhood Nationals (southwest series)

No numbers No cash only (pros, wanna be pros, old throw backs from an era before you were born, and first timers getting drop ed off the back wondering how in the hell it just happened. (you know Big Gear Stelli / and Old Man Winter will be there) till the day there Heart gives out and there taken away in an stretcher (no other way to go for these guys)

I love this training ride/race.
You never know whats going to go down on the Crack Train.
Breakaways / Pack Separations
Sometimes the whole thing stays together till the last mile.
I feel like I'm in a pack of Wild Wolves, all the panting grunting and sweat.
Everyone in the pack is a definite animal.
The best part is the last 2 miles a fever comes over the whole pack, a sense of urgency envelopes you.
The Sit-in's wake up the Worker's work harder for 5 minutes the pack is alive.
The pace goes from 30 to 33 with a mile to go then it's at the hundred yard mark and the real speed comes out 35 and crossing under the bridge at 38 to 40.

(finish this later)

BMW CRIT PART II

The Start. All Smiles Here.

Next 5-6 laps I lead the chase to catch the junior who broke away at the start.





Next lap I slow down to see who's following me.
Me and the kid in blue and yellow were the only ones working so I told him I was going to sprint the next lap He stuck to my wheel and we broke loose , from the 4 other racers.
Seven more laps time to pick up the pace. I let (blue and yellow know, I'm going for it with only 6 laps to go, the junior finaly caught up road behind for the last 3 laps and pulled around for a sprint to the finish.

I got 1st in the Cat. 5's but the Junior that took off at the start won the over all, he later raced the Cat 1-2 race and got second there.

Momentum BMW Spring Criterium Series

It was bloody
This is where I'll be for every sunday I'm not MTB racing.
This past weekend we had 2 team wipeouts with one resulting in a hospital visit, and a cast.

Also there is no where to warm up so bring your trainers unless you like riding through the getto with a stop sign every hundred yards.

I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but I'm still building up for May so we'll see what next Sunday brings.

Alyssa's off of work and tonight is tax night.

This link is a quick and easy way to look back on all your past performances.
http://www.usacycling.org/results/index.php?compid=177903

THE NEW TAURINE WAS ROCKIN.
Sunday started at 6AM, James and Mark, were just dying to take me to the race, we arrived with 20 minutes to spare, 0810 and a 0830 race start.


I took off up the courses first climb for a fast warm up then made my way to the start, Yurgen looked at me and said aren't you racing the sport class.
Then he said we'll your going to need your race number, I closed my eyes and shook my head(you know the one that says yes I'm an idiot), so now I'm sprinting back to the car hoping it's not locked with my number inside, Mark's laying in the passenger seat(TG). I quickly put on my number and race back to the start. Tobins calling out the racers and calls out Richard Cabezza, so I line up in the back, now I'm hoping Yurgen calls the top 10 forward, and he does so I go from the right side up to the front left side, this gives me the outside lane on the first corner. Didn't want to risk a pile up on the inside corner, but everything worked out as you can see here. I had no idea they were that far back I figured they were right behind me.

The Plano rider behind me wanted by as we entered the trail so I let him, because we were turning around and heading into the wind. I figured I'd try to get back in the lead on the climb, I did for a little while. Red bike, Big Pig, Former UT and me exchanged lead positions on the first lap. It was uneventful but I took note of every one's strengths, I noticed on the flats through the canyon and across the fields I would put a pretty big gap or easily follow the leader, but on the climbs I would struggle to stay with them. So I stayed with them through the first lap knowing all I had to do was stay in the pack until the descents and canyon and make a break for it.

We approach the feed I'm the only one that grabs a bottle 4 or 5 go racing up the first climb, I put it in my lowest gear and take my time up the climb, I'm in 3rd by the time I reached the top. Big pig(matt), got a rear tire flat, so now I'm following Red Bike(cody), With Former UT(federico) trailing right behind. We wind up the last bit of switchbacks(lowest gear track stands kind of switch backs), and I'm keeping close to Red Bike and were putting a little gap on Former UT.

Then We take the Plunge and now were pulling away from the pack on this high speed decent, I love Saint Jo just for this reason, you get fully rewarded for your climbing efforts you hardly have to touch your brakes, you just descend down like a hawk looking to snatch up the next rabbit that crosses the trail.

Now it's just me and Red bike. We've rounded the pond and we're climbing again, Just a small climb to another twisty decent, We've made it to the field and drop through the halfpipe, and a huge decent that will probably kill you if you forget to brake, because there's a huge tree that makes you hard turn it left then right.

Now we've made it to the canyon Red Bike lets me by, and I start mashing with 4-5miles left I put down a disappearing gap until the climb out of the canyon and I see him again. He's about 25 yards back, I hunker down and put another sprint across the field, this gives me a little more room but not much, now were in the trees the descents and climbs just roll on like 30 second intervals, with a 1 minute climb at the end, this leads to the last drop in, and it is sweet, all I can say is Roller Coaster heaven, I gave it my all and never looked back, crossed the field and made my way back up the winding false flats, a grueling up hill against the wind finish.

http://tmbra.org/results/spring_07/bash/ssm19.html

Expert Race, I just raced to Finish, and stop to feed, fix a chain twice and relieved myself and turn around at the feed zone because I drop a bottle...

5 Laps and I was cooked but my new Taurine was riding strong, never got off the bike to climb, and closed many gaps on the descents. When it comes to Endurance type racing I feel like a VW trying to make it on a cross country trip, things keep breaking down, but some how it takes you HOME, even if you have to use the whole roll of duct tape.


http://commiebike.com/BHSptTh/BHspt0859.htm



pictures provided by www.commiebike.com

Life saving feeds provided by James Janoch

Speed racer transport provided by Brian Freeze

During the race commentary provided by Mark Landeck

It's about time Cannondale made a bike just for me.

Hard tail / Solid Black / I guess I'll go with disk brakes it is 2007.

Under 20.9 pounds,before modifications. The thing is light without sacrificing stiffness AT ALL.

Some of the first modifications, nothing here sacrificed rideabilty for the sake of grams, these were just freeBEEs for the taking.

Grips -80 grams

Switched to a Maxxis crossmark (570grams)front tire with sealant (30 grams) (original tire was 700grams) -100 grams

removed rim strips -40 grams

added pedals +200 grams

removed odds and ends -25 grams

Now if I could just figure out how to remove those reflective stickers off the rims.

I've got one more part on the way, a Easton EC90 Carbon seatpost 31.6 x 400 supposed to be 80grams lighter.

I also might switch to titanium rotor bolts and a rear XTR Cassette.

Taurine




It came in Yesterday and I immediately left work to build it.


There were a few snags that kept me from finishing the build. The shipper some how managed to monkey the rear derailleur hanger into a big J, Webster Bike immediately called Cannondale and got another one on the way.


Then I replaced the front wheel bearings with some new ceramic enduro bearings, these things roll really smooth.


I'm going to try to leave work by 4 today and get up there and finish the build, All I need to do is trim the derailleur's cable then set the derailleur and I'm done.


The bike looks sweet minus my greasy Paw Prints.


.

Tapatio Race Video is Finally in

Click this and pick save as to watch a great vid provided by pedalmasher.

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY.

Day light savings time came 3 weeks early, and Forbis called me 7am which was really 6am.

5hrs of sleep atleast I ain't racing. Wo Ho me and Forbis were on traffic patrol at the 519 and I-45 intersection along with Texas Cities Finest. The things you do to ride your bike? The race was uneventful except for the leaders wereled the wrong way by a confused course marshal so they basically lost even though they really won. I saw Winkleman fly by twice and each time he had a huge lead, I'm not sure what place he ended up getting after the snafu.

The team was in full effect at breakdown after the race I've never seen so many volunteers, we had that thing broken down and loaded up in less than 30 minutes.

That's James, James and Henry hard at work.
That's Christine and (????) taking a breather. Once Russ was loaded up Forbis , Landeck, Freeze and me where off to The PMC. 5 acres of dirt shaped in the best way possible we put in an hour or more as we did laps and jacked around on the various jumps. Then they broke out the 70cc pit bike, that thing packs a lot of fun in such a small package. 3 speed no clutch and all fun. We hit the jumps and drifted the corners, and believe it or not one rider got hurt..
Thats me before Forbis throttled it into Freeze's Rush though.

Then Doc broke out the big boyz bike and showed us howzz its done. I know fo sure there was over 15 feet of air between him and the ground at some points.

I ended up getting home around 5pm with just enough time to take Nanook down to the Bayou. He finally got the nerve up to walk across the water, I think if I do this every Sunday he will eventually be swimming.

Blood and Boulder’s, Switchbacks, Drop-offs, Stair step’s

were all there this weekend, at the (TAP IT TO U) resort.

Even those that prerode the course ahead of time, were not guaranteed to not fall victim to the carnage this course could bring you..

The race from my perspective, Yurgen pulled the trigger and we were off. I entered the single track in 3rd not bad considering I couldn’t get my foot clipped in for the first 20 yards (dam rode bike has made me lose my feel). I had to make my way through the 15 riders that made it past me with 50 yards till the single track.

Second place guy dabbed quite a few times and the leader disappeared before we got to the first switch backs, I made it through there without a crash. We come out of the single track and there’s the leader about 15 seconds ahead of us on the big rode climb back up to the top.

I pulled past second place, he was dying fast. One guy that had been following me came around me , I gave him (red hardtail) a push on the back and said "go get him". I put it in a bigger gear and stayed right behind him. We made it to the top which is a huge rock garden, you have to put it in your big gear here and just try to float through the thing while trying to maintain a good top speed. It was a beating on the old hardtail.

The second decent was uneventful, I was still in third following 2nd until the 4th place guy went flying through a rough section on his full suspension putting him in second, If there was any course this season for a full suspension this was the course..

We were now back on the road I past the red hard tail guy and was now back in 3rd, We entered the ascending switch backs I had no problem maintaining lead until we got to the flat rock garden section at the top the (red hardtail) made his move this put me into fourth. I made quick work of the cliff, this 10 yard section of doom cashed/crashed many riders checks early this race. This is where Allen bloodied his face and broke off pieces of his bike. The ambulance was in full swing this race and people where being 4wheeled off the course

With a mile left of the first lap I had forth and could see 3rd and gave it all I had up the gravel road ascent , the announcer called out Matthew Morgan riding in 4th place.

If I didn’t catch back up to red hardtail I would most likely loose him in the descending switch backs. Allen, Mark, and I only got to preride the course once which was just 17 hours before the race. The second decent through the switch backs I wasn’t so lucky, I ended up washing out on a right hander, and bloody up my left hip, this set up series of 4 more over the bar crash, As I tried to make up time in the worst place possible I basically fell down the mountain, and lost another position to a guy on a brand new Team Scalpel, this put me in 5th after he went by I just chilled out got my nerves back together and didn’t take another spill.

I climbed hard back up the road to the top, held the position the rest of the race, flew through the decent / cliff and barreled down the last dirt decent I got to the dirt road climb, could see a guy approaching with one mile to go straight up a grueling ascent to the finish I just put it in a bigger gear Mashed the last 300feet of climbing.


D.W got his first podium finish, and Blake did awesome for his first race with no preride.
Mark managed to see him go off the cliff and said he aced it.

“Awesome race and Good Times.”

"KEMAH's You Want Some"

Met Mark and Allen at the Kemah, I was finally feeling my strength coming back, ever since the Snow board trip I'd been riding so weak.

Manged an average 800watts for 30 seconds on the 4th climb and a 573 watt average for a minute some where during the ride.

I think the build process started Last Saturday, Me and Mark went to the Kemah on our MTB to throw down a few. Man I was not expecting the beat down we leashed upon each other. I would take off and he would be right there and about half way he or I would pull away but then the other would just reel back in we repeated this act to many times.

My heart was just blowing up and me and him where trying to kill each other. I think I called mercy first not wanting to complete the 12 we had set out for I think we did 6 or 8. But the intensity was there, and it was great priming for Sunday.

Sunday we did a easy 75 mile ride with a few short intervals and then some long lets go fast until a light stops us intervals.

I worked out a few bugs that had developed in my pedaling stroke, I was starting to get some pain on the medial edge of my knee cap. Actually it had become excruciating at times, and I was initially thinking over use. Come to find out I was pointing to much and when I started ankeling the pain went away, on the ride it was like night and day. Not extreme ankeling but just keeping my feet flat and not tensing up my calves and pointing my toes.

Mas o Menos

As usual I start my first MTB race after I get back from snow boarding.
Thank the power meter for showing me how far I had fallen.


The start was uneventful, got into a grove and got my hydrating started.




1.5hrs into the race and I already had to go. So I stood up on a jeep rode descent pulled up the left spandex and let it go. easy enough 1 goal accomplished.

Not even a lap down and I could already feel the signs of cramping. I saw Alyssa at the airport feed zone and she handed me off 2 bottles and I left her my camel back. Had to stop for awhile but man the camel back helped a ton, so easy to sip on during the single track.

Well now here comes the Tres curves and man was it a killer I swore it was steeper this year, the pain of the climb is sheer beauty in retrospect.

I managed the whole thing in my 26 teeth rear chain ring man I was wishing for a 32 or at least a 28. This was my first year to climb the whole thing with out coming off the bike, I actually never came off the bike the whole race. goal 2 accomplished I did have to stop 3 times though but that wasn't on the climbs it was in in flats when my legs would just start cramping so hard they would lock up.

Well now I'm descending after the big climb and I notice that I'm going to beat my last years lap time. So I start really punching it and ended up taking a Pete Rose slide on a tight left turn near the end but was back on the bike in 2 seconds not even enough time for the following rider to get by, he probably slowed up a bit after seeing me go down Justin Burger was his name ended up doing the whole race with him "very cool guy".

I ended up doing the first lap in 2:27:12 a couple minutes faster than the year before. Goal 3 accomplished.
The two gentlemen that beat me http://tmbra.org/results/spring_07/terlingua/ssm19.html
where only doing the one lap WTF .

Alyssa was there again what an Angel, I stop ed put on the camel pack grab ed a bottle of water and the infamous SPAGHETTI BOTTLE, MMMM GOOD.

The guy that I had been racing next to had started on his potato while I consumed my vigorously stired and well watered down cold bottle of spaghetti God I Love racing......

The last lap I spent going in and out of muscle spasms, starting in my thigh then hamstring and even once my left toes were going on lock down with no way of reaching down to pull up, and no way was I stopping to stretch again. Once the race was over I realized I was way over hydrating (3 flow breaks is just way to many) and my electrolytes were to low the last feed at the airport "The Kid" gave me 2 Gues and a 2 bottles, I think my subconscious led the way from there once it saw 3X the sodium because, I consumed that one first and then the other. I still had a full bag of Shotblocks which I passed off to a rider that was going away from the Tres curves. A couple riders just quit on there second lap once the saw Tres Curves again. I was wondering if I would be able to climb it again myself, I stop'd at the bottom stretched the hams then thighs, and got back on.

The weirdest thing about racing when your body's breaking down, is it's like driving a piece of shit car on a cross country road trip and parts just keep breaking down but all you have is duct tape and tools till you get to your destination.

It's times like these that make you laugh at yourself.

5:05:48 That was my final time which happened to be several minutes faster than my year before time. Final Goal Accomplished.

I was so glad to see Alyssa at the end and just chill out in a chair and eat WARM fresh Speghetti.